Microsoft Is Again Pushing ‘Malware-Like’ Pop-Up Ads Into Chrome For Windows Users

Last Updated: March 18, 2024, 15:40 IST

Redmond, Washington State, USA

Microsoft has been once again alleged of injecting pop-ups into the Google Chrome browser, requesting users to switch to Bing. As reported by The Verge, malware-like ads were first introduced by Microsoft last year that showed a prompt appearing over the top of other ads and windows.

These pop-ups promote the tech company’s Bing search engine and an AI-powered chatbot. After widespread criticism of the aggressive promotion of Bing, the said notifications were paused by Microsoft to address the ‘unintended behaviour’. However, the pop-ups have returned once again on Windows 10 and 11.

Several Windows users have reported the pop-up, advertising Bing AI and its search engine, showing up inside Google’s Chrome browser. The notification boldly states, “Chat with GPT-4 for free on Chrome! Get hundreds of daily chat turns with Bing AI”.

Upon selecting ‘yes’ in the advertised notification, Microsoft will set Bing as the default search engine within Chrome by downloading its extension. However, the pop-up itself is less of a problem. What really caused paranoia amongst Windows users was the notification’s striking resemblance to malware. This led to multiple users questioning the legitimacy of the notification, eventually prompting a response from Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Director of Communications Caitlin Rouston has now addressed those ad pop-ups, stating them to be a one-time notification. In an official statement to The Verge, Rouston said, “This is a one-time notification giving people the choice to set Bing as their default search engine on Chrome”. She further talked about how Microsoft values the importance of choice which is why the notification could easily be dismissed. “We value providing our customers with choice, so there is an option to dismiss the notification”, Roulston concluded.

The current pop-up issue has been linked to server-side processes as _BCILauncher.EXE_ or _BingChatInstaller.EXE_. These processes were added to some Windows systems on March 13, and there is no easy fix for users to prevent this notification from appearing.

Earlier this year, Microsoft also had to provide a fix for an issue where Edge was automatically importing browsing data from Chrome tabs without the user’s consent. The issue was eventually resolved but the company’s persistence in promotion tactics for Bing has left several users with a bad taste.

Microsoft is currently in a solid race in AI-based developments, thanks to its partnership with OpenAI. This has also enabled the software giants to test the latest ChatGPT versions before the competition. In a recent podcast, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella referred to OpenAI as ‘one of the high-ambition technology innovation companies.’